The International 2019: OG’s Historic Back-to-Back Victory
The International 2019 made history as OG became the first team to win Valve’s premier Dota 2 championship twice in a row, defeating Team Liquid 3-1 in the grand finals at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China. The tournament ran from August 15-25, 2019, and featured a record-breaking prize pool that captivated the esports world.
Prize Pool and Record-Breaking Numbers
The International 2019 reached a total prize pool of $34,330,068, making it the largest esports prize pool in history at the time. This massive sum was funded through community purchases of the Battle Pass, with Valve contributing an initial base amount and 25% of all Battle Pass sales going directly to the prize pool.
The tournament’s prize pool significantly outpaced other esports events in 2019, including the Fortnite World Cup’s $30 million pool held just weeks earlier. The Dota 2 community’s crowdfunding approach once again demonstrated the game’s passionate global fanbase.
Prize Distribution
| Place | Team | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | OG | $15,620,181 |
| 2nd | Team Liquid | $4,459,348 |
| 3rd | PSG.LGD | $3,005,477 |
| 4th | Evil Geniuses | $2,063,867 |
| 5th-6th | Team Secret | $1,145,482 |
| 5th-6th | Vici Gaming | $1,145,482 |
| 7th-8th | Virtus.pro | $858,612 |
| 7th-8th | Royal Never Give Up | $858,612 |
| 9th-12th | Fnatic | $572,741 |
| 9th-12th | Newbee | $572,741 |
| 9th-12th | Keen Gaming | $572,741 |
| 9th-12th | Mineski | $572,741 |
| 13th-16th | Alliance | $286,371 |
| 13th-16th | Infamous | $286,371 |
| 13th-16th | Natus Vincere | $286,371 |
| 13th-16th | TNC Predator | $286,371 |
| 17th-18th | Chaos Esports Club | $114,548 |
| 17th-18th | NiP | $114,548 |
Tournament Format and Qualification
Eighteen teams competed at The International 2019, having earned their spots through two routes: Direct Invites based on Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) points accumulated throughout the season, and Regional Qualifiers held across six regions.
The tournament began with a Group Stage where teams were divided into two groups of nine. Teams played a round-robin format within their groups, with matches being best-of-two. The Group Stage determined seeding for the Main Event bracket.
The Main Event used a double-elimination bracket format. Upper bracket matches were best-of-three, while lower bracket matches were also best-of-three until the lower bracket finals. The grand finals between the upper bracket winner and lower bracket winner was a best-of-five series.
OG’s Dominant Run
OG entered the tournament as defending champions from The International 2018 but had struggled throughout the 2018-2019 DPC season, forcing them to qualify through the European Regional Qualifiers rather than receiving a direct invite.
The roster consisted of:
- N0tail (Johan Sundstein) – Position 5 captain
- Ceb (Sébastien Debs) – Position 3 offlane
- JerAx (Jesse Vainikka) – Position 4 support
- ana (Anathan Pham) – Position 1 carry
- Topson (Topias Taavitsainen) – Position 2 mid
OG’s path to victory showcased innovative drafting and aggressive playstyles that caught opponents off-guard. Their signature picks included Io carry and Magnus support, unconventional choices that became tournament-defining strategies.
Grand Finals: OG vs Team Liquid
The grand finals on August 25, 2019, featured OG facing Team Liquid in a highly anticipated rematch. Team Liquid, the runners-up from The International 2017, had fought their way through the lower bracket after falling to OG in the upper bracket finals.
Team Liquid’s roster included:
- KuroKy – Position 5 captain
- MinD_ContRoL – Position 3 offlane
- Gh – Position 4 support
- Miracle- – Position 1 carry
- w33 – Position 2 mid
OG won the series 3-1, clinching their second consecutive Aegis of Champions. The decisive victories showcased OG’s team coordination and ability to execute high-risk strategies under pressure. Game three featured a comeback from a significant gold deficit, demonstrating the team’s mental fortitude.
Notable Performances and Storylines
Evil Geniuses finished in 4th place, marking North America’s strongest showing at TI9. The Group B match between EG and OG during the round-robin stage drew significant attention from fans, with both teams demonstrating world-class Dota 2.
PSG.LGD took 3rd place, once again falling short of winning on home soil despite being tournament favorites. The Chinese organization had also finished 2nd at The International 2018.
Team Secret, despite dominating the DPC season and entering as the top seed, were eliminated in 5th-6th place, continuing their pattern of underperforming at The International despite regular season success.
The tournament also marked JerAx’s final competitive Dota 2 event, as he announced his retirement shortly after the victory. His position 4 playmaking ability had been instrumental in both of OG’s International victories.
Meta and Strategic Innovation
The International 2019 featured several meta-defining heroes and strategies. Alchemist became a priority pick across multiple positions, with teams using him as both a carry and support. Magnus saw increased play in unconventional support roles, leveraging Empower to accelerate farming cores.
The tournament meta emphasized aggressive tempo plays rather than passive farming strategies. Teams that successfully controlled the map in the early-to-mid game typically converted those advantages into victories. Understanding Dota 2 warding spots became crucial for teams trying to establish vision control during this aggressive meta.
IO (Wisp) became a banned or first-pick hero due to OG’s success running it as a position 1 carry with ana, completely revolutionizing how teams viewed the hero. This unconventional approach required opponents to ban Io, freeing up other strong picks for OG’s draft.
Regional Representation and Open Qualifiers
The International 2019 featured teams from all six major Dota 2 regions. The regional breakdown included multiple teams from China, Europe, and Southeast Asia, reflecting those regions’ competitive depth.
Teams progressed through Regional Qualifiers after the direct invite slots were filled. Each region held its own qualifier tournament, with slots distributed based on regional strength and DPC performance throughout the season.
The Open Qualifiers provided a path for any team to reach The International. Teams like Chaos Esports Club fought through multiple stages of open competition to earn their Regional Qualifier spots, though the journey from open qualifiers to the main event remained extremely challenging.
Broadcasting and Community Engagement
The International 2019 was broadcast in multiple languages across various platforms, with English, Russian, and Chinese streams drawing the largest viewership numbers. The tournament’s peak concurrent viewership exceeded previous International records, demonstrating Dota 2’s sustained global appeal.
Valve implemented several community features during the tournament, including in-game fantasy leagues, battle predictions, and the Truesight documentary series that would later provide behind-the-scenes footage of the grand finals.
The Shanghai crowd filled the Mercedes-Benz Arena throughout the Main Event, creating an electric atmosphere for both Western and Chinese teams. The energy from the home crowd during Chinese team matches provided additional pressure and excitement.
Impact on Competitive Dota 2
OG’s back-to-back victories at The International 2018 and 2019 cemented their legacy as one of Dota 2’s greatest teams. No other organization had accomplished this feat, and the team’s innovative strategies influenced how professional Dota 2 would be played in subsequent seasons.
The tournament’s massive prize pool continued the trend of community-funded esports events, with The International consistently breaking its own prize pool records. For players looking to compete at this level, understanding Dota 2 ranks and the competitive progression system remains the first step toward professional play.
The 2019 event also represented a high point for several players’ careers, with retirements and roster changes following shortly after. The pressure and stakes of competing for over $34 million demonstrated the increasing professionalization of Dota 2 esports.
The Bottom Line
The International 2019 concluded with OG’s historic repeat championship on August 25, 2019, in Shanghai. The tournament distributed over $34 million to 18 competing teams, with OG taking home $15.6 million for their first-place finish.
The event showcased innovative strategies that would influence competitive Dota 2 for years to come, particularly unconventional hero positioning and aggressive tempo-focused gameplay. While OG’s roster would change in subsequent years, their 2019 victory remains unmatched in tournament history.
Conclusion
The International 2019 delivered unforgettable moments and record-breaking achievements for the Dota 2 competitive scene. OG’s back-to-back championship run, the historic prize pool, and innovative gameplay strategies combined to create one of esports’ most memorable tournaments. The event demonstrated Dota 2’s position as a premier competitive title and set new standards for esports production and community engagement that continue to influence the scene today.
For players inspired by these professional performances, mastering fundamental skills like snowballing in Dota 2 and understanding the hero tier list provides the foundation for climbing the competitive ladder.